A big change is coming to DCS World as Eagle Dynamics streamlines their release system and does away with the traditional Stable and Open Beta updates. We also have a terrific new F-4 trailer, the F-4 manual, and a small update from the folks at AviaStorm on their Tornado project for DCS World. Some great updates all around! Let’s have a look!
Say hello to unified releases for DCS World
Years ago I wrote an editorial that the Stable/Open beta structure for DCS World was not the best way to approach releases on the platform. It wasn’t entirely received positively but I stand by my opinion that the structure as it has been for the last several years wasn’t doing anyone any good and that the open beta for DCS wasn’t really a traditional beta test anyways. You can read my ramblings on that subject matter here.
The big news is that things are indeed changing and the traditional open beta and stable releases are going away in favour of a unified release structure.
This move aims to streamline the update process, reduce fragmentation, and ensure that all pilots have access to the latest features and improvements simultaneously. This unified approach will not only simplify the user experience but also allow for more efficient development cycles, fostering a more cohesive and connected community. Your feedback has been invaluable in shaping this decision, and we are excited to embark on this new journey together.
DCS World Weekend News
Official statements aside, this is going to make things a lot easier for new users coming into DCS World. There are countless times that I or others have told newcomers that almost no multiplayer servers support anything but the open beta or that the majority of the community play open beta. Even more importantly, with the old structure it was possible that some modules and updates can take several months to arrive in a stable update. In effect, open beta was just the DCS World release.
If you can’t tell already, I think this is a good move and I’m happy to see it.
First in, last out with the Phantom
A new cinematic has just come out from Heatblur with an outstanding 4 minute 20 second cinematic showcasing the F-4E Phantom II in a Wild Weasel mission. While the first F-4 draws fire, the second one attempts to make the kill. Watch the dramatic trailer to see how that goes.
The launch of this cinematic likely means that release is now much closer to imminent. We saw something similar with the F-14 giving us just few weeks between a couple of cinematic features and then the launch of the module into early access. Phantom time coming right up!
The manual for the DCS: F-4E is also out as of today. Available on the Heatblur website, the manual covers the cockpit, systems, weapons, Jester AI and more. The manual is already quite extensive and contains quite a bit of depth to systems and features – for example, I was just reading about the Auto Clear function on the 20mm Vulcan with a spin-down time of 1-second preventing additional firing until its had a chance to clear. Typical Heatblur levels of extreme detail.
AviaStorm Tornado update
A smaller but still nice to see update comes from AviaStorm. Their report indicates that five 3D artists are currently working on the project.
AviaStorm has had the opportunity to examine many small details of this aircraft for the level of detail that DCS demands. Such details may not initially stand out, or even be noticed by most customers, but they are crucial in the context of creating a masterpiece that is the Tornado. An example includes the emergency RAM air flap and two cooling flaps.
DCS World Weekend News
It’s not much but hopefully we’ll see the Tornado begin to come together over the next couple of years. It’s certainly a module that I’m anticipating highly!
Stormbirds 
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